A processor-implemented method for light estimation includes: estimating light information corresponding to an input image using a light estimation model; detecting a reference object in the input image; determining object information of the reference object and plane information of a reference plane supporting the reference object; rendering a virtual object corresponding to the reference object based on the light information, the object information, and the plane information; and training the light estimation model by updating the light estimation model based on a result of comparing the reference object and the rendered virtual object.